Innovative Low-Cost Solution Slashes Building Costs

Rising temperatures are making many areas of the planet unbearably hot. While air conditioning is effective, it consumes a lot of energy. To address this, scientists are exploring innovative solutions that offer effective cooling without heavy energy use.

A recent study from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has revealed a new passive cooling technology that could regulate heat absorption using common building materials. This technology involves coating walls and windows to enhance heat transfer management between buildings and their surroundings.

The key to this technology is radiant heat—the heat we feel from a hot surface. Radiant heat travels through electromagnetic waves and affects buildings differently based on their exposure to the sky and ground. Some buildings, which have fewer sky-facing surfaces, can retain heat from the ground and surrounding walls, making them hard to cool in summer and warm in winter.

The UCLA researchers found that common materials like polypropylene (often found in everyday plastics) can efficiently radiate or absorb heat within the atmospheric transmission window. According to UCLA associate professor Aaswath Raman, these materials are scalable, which means they could be used to regulate building temperatures effectively.

This new technology operates passively, similar to how white paint reflects sunlight to cool buildings. It can cover large structures and offers significant benefits, especially for low-income communities where traditional cooling methods may not be available. Raman and his team are now testing this technology in real-world settings, particularly in heat-prone areas in Southern California.